The overuse of a single word

CharlieBabbitt · Aug 24, 2008

Chris Roerden's has a great chapter in his book "Don't Murder Your Mystery" on overused gestures (Clue #21, Gestured to Death -- p. 240, for those following along at home).

She did a search on a ms she was reading and found 80 instances of nodding, 94 sighs, 81 grins and 88 glares -- that's a lot of glaring.

So I checked my ms. (no grimacing, snickers or chuckles), but I DID find two words I overused: Just and Few -- as in a few minutes, a few marbles, a few tables, a few pages, -- and just before, just after, just as I did this, I just need that -- and the double-whammy: just a few...

Do you have a word that's used too many times that I should be on the lookout for?

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Aug 24, 2008

'That'! Do a search and delete that li'l bugger in every sentence where reading it without it still makes sense.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Aug 24, 2008

CharlieBabbitt said:
Do you have a word that's used too many times that I should be on the lookout for?

As in:

Do you have a word used too many times I should be on the lookout for?

Twice!

Linda Adams · Aug 24, 2008

Here are some:

Look, glance, glare (any form of looking)

Slammed (or any violent action word that gets repeated multiple times in a fight scene)

And I tend to see people refer to character's eyes a lot.

Bubastes · Aug 24, 2008

I overuse the word just. It drives me bananas. My characters also smile or try to smile or try not to smile a lot.

CharlieBabbitt · Aug 24, 2008

Ol' Fashioned Girl -- ouch! Now I'm ascared to do a search for it. *gulp*

Tachyon · Aug 24, 2008

I find I have lots of nodding going on in my books.

When I was younger, I overused "however" to the point that I had abused it and it ended up in the ICU. Reading some of my material from those days makes me cringe. However, I have improved since then.

Ken · Aug 24, 2008

along with "that," its cousin "which" creeps into my prose a lot, making my stories sound like essays.

stormie · Aug 24, 2008

The word "shrug." I swear I'm addicted to shrugging. :Shrug:

Rae22 · Aug 24, 2008

My characters always find an opportunity to sigh, no matter what is going on in the scene.

katiemac · Aug 24, 2008

I also overuse just. The good news is once you identify your problem areas, you're more likely to recognize them when you write a first draft.

gypsyscarlett · Aug 24, 2008

I've noticed my characters "look" and "glance" a lot.

And yeah, I also have to watch out for too much smiling, sighing and nodding.

Gary Clarke · Aug 24, 2008

My bloody characters are always nodding, sighing, glancing, glaring, staring. Clenching their fists. Snarling. Curling their lips. Looking. Gazing. Shaking their heads.

I think they have palsy, I do. Or fleas. Or ADD. Or maybe tourettes.

I think they might also have asthma, because they seem to do a lot of hissing, breathing, and snorting.

But they try not to gasp. I say they try not to, but I suspect that sometimes, behind my back like, they occasionally do.

Mr Flibble · Aug 24, 2008

katiemac said:
I also overuse just. The good news is once you identify your problem areas, you're more likely to recognize them when you write a first draft.

Oh yes!

They 'just' stand there, or they 'just' look helplessly or ....

Stoopid word,

I have however overcome my bizarre addiction to the word 'gouts'

BenPanced · Aug 24, 2008

The first time a friend edited a story for me, he underlined each instance of the word "gently". Six times on one page. I had no clue I'd overused it! Now when I edit, I keep an eye out for overused words and phrases. It's amazing how many times my characters roll their eyes and/or sigh. I'm surprised they haven't pulled any muscles or hyperventilated...

Gary Clarke · Aug 24, 2008

IdiotsRUs said:
I have however overcome my bizarre addiction to the word 'gouts'

I seriously, seriously want to read a book that over uses the word 'gouts' Please try not to curtail it too much!

I already look back at my first book and wince. I must just take a deep breath and walk on, coz it's too late now, sistah!

Carmy · Aug 24, 2008

LOL @ IdiotsRUs. I too want to see a novel with 'gouts' repeated throughout. (Still laughing.)

My weakness are "that" and "as". All my characters are doing something AS they do something else. Clever blighters.

Shamisen · Aug 24, 2008

'Beard' is being over-used in one of Tom's chapters at the moment. Peg seems to use the word 'blood' a lot.

An interesting insight into my work. The thesaurus isn't really coming through for me with those two...

Carmy · Aug 24, 2008

Okay, all joking aside, I'm going to point you in the direction of a program that will help you pinpoint those repeats.

Somewhere on the Tech forum, a member asked for Betas to try out a program she'd created. I downloaded and I'm still using it. It's wonderful. You can copy in a chapter of text and have it highlight adjectives, adverbs, over-used, etc. I tried to get to the root post where I found it (must be more than a year ago) but didn't have any luck.

It's up to you to hunt for it. If I knew exactly when, or what the thread was called, I'd tell you. I think Beta or test was in the thread title. Of course, the program's creator may have deleted the link by now. She could charge big bucks for it.

Shamisen · Aug 24, 2008

Thanks Carmy, that sounds really useful. Now if only the programme could suggest contextual alternatives too

vixey · Aug 24, 2008

stormie said:
The word "shrug." I swear I'm addicted to shrugging.

Me, too! Makes me wonder if my characters know anything at all. :tongue

Carlene · Aug 24, 2008

I judge contest for my RWA chapter every spring and I believe JUST is everyone's over used word. That and SUDDENLY! I had a writing teach once who said, "You may use the word suddenly ONCE in your novel!"

BY the by, Chris Roerden is a woman and her book is fabulous.

Carlene

txgrl · Aug 24, 2008

My characters grunt at eachother alot. and chuckle.

Carmy · Aug 24, 2008

Shamisen said:
Thanks Carmy, that sounds really useful. Now if only the programme could suggest contextual alternatives too

But you have to do some work!

An update on that program I mentioned. I downloaded it prior to January 2008, so start the hunt before that date.

Donkey · Aug 24, 2008

Grinning, smiling, and eye rolling. There are only so many ways to say these things, unforunately. It's a pain.

The overuse of a single word

Read. Write. Tivo.

Hand? What hand?

Hand? What hand?

Soldier, Storyteller

bananaed

Read. Write. Tivo.

storm central

Five by Five

Ma fin est mon commencement

Knackered

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

Knackered

Mother of Pog!

Mother of Pog!

C'est la vie!

New kid, be gentle!